Perfect Peace

I'm not a morning person.  I usually don't function well until at least 830 or 9, and that's with a large Diet Coke from McDonalds providing me with caffeine.  I'm okay with that, too... because I'm more of a night person.  I like to think I get my best sleeping on the weekends when I can sleep until 930 or so, after about 4 or 5 in the morning.

This morning, I woke up at 6.  I'd like to say I hopped up and opened my Bible and spent some time with God, but instead I just burrowed under the cover and drifted back to sleep.  I had stayed up a little late reading the night before, and didn't really sleep good.  I've not been sleeping well... I know it's because I'm worried about stuff that's coming up.  That's why I'm so happy God gave me a 6 AM wakeup call this morning, even though I hit snooze =)

I'm not sure what I was dreaming about, but when I woke up, the first thing that drifted in my mind was "He will keep you in perfect peace.  He is the Prince of Peace.  He will give you peace that you can't understand."

Peace helped me drift back off to sleep until the alarm clock sounded at 7.  As soon as I got up, I looked up that phrase to see where it was, because I knew it was a verse in the Bible. 

Isaiah 26:3, HCSB: "You will keep the mind that is dependent on You in perfect peace, for it is trusting in You."

Perfect peace... can only come when we are dependent on Him. That makes not trying to figure it all out for ourselves.  Not going through scenarios in our minds over and over again, and thinking of all the coulds, shoulds, and mights.  Trusting Him to know best, and to figure it out.

The writer goes on to declare that God is a rock.  I learned this Sunday and Monday through Psalm 62, and here it is again.  A rock... a large stone mass.  Something hard.  But then if you think about it, rock can also be a verb.  When a baby cries, we rock that baby to soothe it, and sometimes God rocks me in His arms.  Other times, He is more like an explosion: "to affect deeply; stun; move or sway powerfully, as with emotion; to shake or disturb violently" (dictionary.com)

He can be both... soothing, but then explosive.  Sometimes I need Him to rock me gently. Sometimes, I need Him to shake me up and deeply affect me.  He knows what I need.

In Isaiah, it goes on to say, "Lord, You will establish peace for us, for You have also done all our work for us." (verse 12).  What's that?  You've done all the work?  Meaning I don't have to work it out?  I don't have to figure it out?  I can quit striving and fighting... and just accept it?

And be in peace... perfect peace... through You.